The construction of a Walmart doesn't necessarily spell doom and gloom for existing businesses in a community, but the world's largest retailer can have both good and bad effects on a city, according to local experts.

Editor's note: Who wins with Walmart? The answer depends on whom you ask. This is a series on the impact of Walmart stores on select central Ohio communities.

Special Report: Who Wins with Walmart?

The construction of a Walmart doesn't necessarily spell doom and gloom for existing businesses in a community, but the world's largest retailer can have both good and bad effects on a city, according to local experts.

Although Walmart has a reputation for putting independent stores out of business, ThisWeek reporters who worked on this series found the one-stop store is credited with spurring retail development, creating jobs and making charitable contributions in six central Ohio suburbs: Grove City, Reynoldsburg, Canal Winchester, Marysville, Lewis Center and the city of Delaware.

The Marysville development district known as Coleman’s Crossing now looks significantly different than it did six years ago before Walmart opened a 206,000-square-foot Supercenter on the city’s east side.

Business is booming in Grove City’s Stringtown Road shopping center, thanks to the Walmart Supercenter anchor.

Video: Rapid growth of Walmart

Watch the national growth of Walmart

Beginning with the first Walmart store, which opened in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962, this data map -- created by FlowingData, a data visualization website run by UCLA statistics doctoral student Nathan Yau -- traces the expansion of the discount chain across America.